Software applications may be sold and distributed using a variety of models. One example of a model that is sometimes used to distribute applications, or apps, targeted to mobile devices and other computing devices is an application marketplace model. In this model, software developers may submit their applications to be published in an online application marketplace, and the marketplace may provide an interface that allows users to browse or search for the published applications.
When a user identifies an application that he or she wishes to obtain, the application marketplace may generally facilitate the transaction. For example, in the case of a free application, the application marketplace may simply provide the application for download to one or more of the user's devices. In the case of a paid application, the application marketplace may provide the application for download, and may also provide services related to collecting payment from the user and compensating the software developer. Application marketplaces may typically be operated by organizations that are trusted by both the software developers and the users to handle any such application transactions appropriately.